Process of and apparatus for distillation of oil



(N Mo.d 1.) I 5 6 A w, P. LOWE .& 0. W. BILPINGER.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR 'DISTILLATION- 0'F [OIL. 0. 556,155. IPatented Mar. 10,1896.

to condoms e r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VALTER P. LOWVE, OF CLEVELAND, AND CHARLES NV. BILFINGER, OF LIMA,ASSIGNORS TO THE MANHATTAN OIL COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION OF OIL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 556,155, dated March 10,1896.

A lication fil dDecemher 16, 1890. $erial No. 374,863. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WALTER P. LOWE, residing at Cleveland, county ofCuyah oga, and CHARLES W. BILFINGER, residing at Lima, countyof Allen,State of Ohio, citizens of the United States, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for theDistillation of Oil; and we do hereby declare the following to bea full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Our invention-relates to the distillation of oil, and more particularlyto the distillation of crude petroleum for the purpose of obtainingpurified, refined, and deodorized products of different gravitiestherefrom.

The invention is based upon the discovery that superheated steam may besuccessfully employed for the continuous introduction of the oil undertreatment into the distillingvessels in the form of a spray and fordistributing such spray upon an extended sur face of refractorymaterial, so as to assist in its rapid distillation; that superheatedsteam passed upwardly through the heavy oils within the still will moreeffectually and quickly drive off the imprisoned lighter oils and vaporstherefrom, and will produce a tar residuum free from coke and devoid ofwater, and that superheated steam introduced into the current of vaporson their way to the condensers and separators is particularlyefficacious in breaking up and destroying the obnoxious sulphurcompounds which impart a disagreeable odor to many crude petroleums.

The invention consists in an improved process and apparatus forpractically realizing the advantages of these discoveries without dangertothe operator and at a moderate cost of construction and manipulation.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, wehave illustrated the preferred form of apparatus for the practice of ourinvention.

Referring to the drawing, A and B indicate two distilling vessels orstills of ordinary construction suitably set or mounted within thebrickwork of a furnace C in such manner as to receive the impact andheating effect of the hot products of combustion upon their bottomportions.

From the summit of the still Aextends the pipe a, serving, as will behereinafter more naphtha and benzine of light gravity produced in thefirst stage or period of the general operation and leading to acondenser for the liquefaction and recovery of said vapors.

Near the top of the still A enters the pipe 19 leading from any suitablesource of oil supply and terminated at its end by a covering 0 ofwire-gauze, perforated metal or similar substance which will insure thebreaking up of the coil passing through it into fine streams, sprays orjets. The pipe I) has preferably a bend, as shown, through which entersthe open-ended pipe (I for the admission'of steam superheated to about600 Fahrenheit, said pipe d terminating somewhat in advance of thecovering 0, so as to permit the oil to flow past its open end and to beforced by the steam through perforations of the covering 0.

At the bottom'of thestill A is located a pipe-coil D, said coil beingprovided with perforations e throughout its length, and being connectedto a pipe f furnishing steam superheated to about 600 Fahrenheit. Rods gextend across the stillA at a point below the pipe I), and upon thesesupporting-rods is built up a series h of refractory bars, preferably ofiron, piled in alternate courses one upon the other and spaced apart soas to leave intervening spaces, the entire body forming an open-workstructure located immediately in front of the oil-spraying device, andpresenting an extended highly-heated surface upon which the oil issprayed and from which the heavier oils drip down into the lower portionof the still, while the naphtha and benzine vapors pass upward throughthe pipe. a.

An overflow-pipe I), having a bend i for the purpose of preventing theentrance of any fully set forth, for the exit of the vapors of portionof the oil-spray from the opposite pipe 9 5 IOO similar to the covering0, and within it is the superheated-steam pipe (1, furnishing steam at atemperature of about 1,000 Fahrenheit and similarly located to thesteam-pipe (Z and having like functions. The still B is furthermoreprovided with a perforated pipecoil D receiving its supply ofsuperheated steam of 1,000 Fahrenheit from the pipe (1, and with rods gand superposed bars h and vapor-pipe a, all corresponding inconstruction andfnnction to the similar parts in still A.

Each still is provided with an oil-level gage E for observing theoil-level, and with a drawoll pipe F having a twin plug or valve 1 fordrawing oft the-tar from the stills from time to time, as required.'lhermometers G may also be provided so as to observe the prevailingtemperatures within the stills.

The vapor-pipe a from the still B has an extended prolongation on intowhich projects the superheated-steam pipe a, perforated at its innerend, as shown, so that the issuing superheated steam which is at thetemperature of about 1,000 Fahrenheit shall intimate] y mix with andpermeate the oil-vapors in the pipe on and shall come in contact withand destroy or break up as far as possible the sulphn 1' com poundstherein. This action may be assisted in the chamber II by the passage ofthe vapors back and forth in zigzag course over and between the inclinedpartitions or shelves 22 supporting solid desulphurizing agents, or overwhich liquid desulphurizing agents may be caused toflow from thereceptacle K, having a hopper q, stop-cocks m n, and steam-injector pipe'1. A drawing-oil pipe sis provided for the chamber II. Good resultsmay, however, be attained Without the employment of any chemicalswhatever, and we do not'therefore intend to restrict ourselves to theiremployment.

From the chamber 11 a pipe 15 leads to a separator L, in which some ofthe heavy oils are recovered and trapped oif by the trap M, theremaining vapors escaping by the pipe 1) to the condenser, where thefinal condensable products are recovered, the residual gas escaping intothe atmosphere or otherwise.

It will be understood that the various pipes will be provided withsuitable regulatingvalves, as required.

The operation of the invention will be apparent. The crude Lima or otheroil entering the pipe Z) at a temperature of 110 to 125 Fahrenheit isforced by the jet (1 of superheated steam of 000 Fahrenheit in a finespray upon the bars 72, over whose extended surface it spreads in a thinfilm or layer, constantly exposed to the continuing action of theinjecting device. The bars h being interposed directly in the path ofthe injected oil and superheated steam soon attain a temperature verynearly approximating that of the spray, and thus serve as reservoirs ofheat, which heat is continuously imparted to the oil upon them, therebyassisting in its volatilization. The result of the operation in thestill A is that the naphtha and benzine vapors pass upward through thepipe a to their condenser, while the heavy oils drip from the bars 7Linto the lower portion of the still, in which they collect, submergingthe coil .1). During the injecting operation steam superheated to (300Fahrenheit is admitted through the perforations of the coil D,andpassing upward through the heavy oil carries oil any light naphthavapors or oils that may still be contained therein. The constantagitation produced by the passage of the steam through the heavy oilsprevents any charring or coking of the tar that collects at the bottomof the still,and the high temperature of the steam insures against theadmixture of water with the tar, which is accordingly, when drawn oilfrom time to time through the pipe F, free from coke and dry. As theoperation continues the quantity of heavy oil in the still A constantlyincreases until it reaches the level of the pipe I), whereupon it beginsto flow into the said pipe. When this heavy oil attains a suflieientlevel in the pipe I), the steam-jet d of 1,000 Fahrenheit is turned on,whereupon the oil is injected in the form of jets or spray upon therefractory bars h', wliicli, be ing brought by the steam-jet to a higherheat than the bars h, serve to volatilize the heavy oil to a very largeextent, the-portions that are not volatilizcd dripping down into themain body of the still B and submergii'lg the perforated steam-coil D.Thereupon superheated steam at about 1,000 Fahrenheit is admittedthrough the pipe f into the said coil D, and escaping through theperforations therein passes upward through the oil above, agitating itand driving off in. the form of vapor any imprisoned oils and vaporscapable of volatilization at 1,000 Fahrenheit. This vapor, together withthe vapor produced by the spraying device and ars h, passes upwardthrough the pipe a into the prolongation on, where it meets the steam,superheated to about 1,000 Fahrenheit, which enters through the pipe m.This superheated steam thoroughly mixes with and permeates the vapors ontheir way to the separator L and abstracts practically all of thesulphur they contain. Should a product of extraordinary purity bedesired, liquid chemicals of appropriate character may be introducedinto the chamber II by means of the steam-jet 2', said liquid chemicalsflowing over the shelves 1) and being tapped oit, as desired, throughthe pipe 3, or the shelves 1) may receive merely a charge of solidchemicals, which may from time to time be removed and a fresh chargesubstituted. In many instances, however, we will dispense entirely withthe chamber ll. and its adjuncts. Through the pipe '6 the oil vapor andsuperheated steam enter the separator L, of relatively large capacity,in which a large portion of the oil-vapor is recovered and trapped offby the trap M. The remainder of the oil-vapor and the steam passes tothe condenser by the pipe 1), in which condenser they are reduced to aliquid condition and recovered, any uncondensable portions passing outfinally into the air.

The tar formed in the still B and other heavy residuums which are thefinal products in said still may be drawn off by the pipe F and will befound to be devoid of coke or water.

The process as an entirety is a continuous one, and to insure itscontinuance requires merely that the crude oil be fed in through thepipe b in regulated quantity, while the other parts of the apparatusmaintain their operation, the by-products being removed from time totime, and the temperatures and oil-levels being kept constant byobservance of the thermometers and gages. It will of course beunderstood that during the entire operation the heat of the furnace 0maintains the stills A and B at an appropriate temperature.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. An oil-still provided at its top portion with a heat-storin g andheat-absorbing structure sustained therein, the lower portion of thestill forming a receptacle for the collection of drippings from saidstructure, an oil-admission pipe, a steam-injector pipe therefor both ofsaid pipes being located in front of said structure,and a vapor-exitpipe substantially as described.

2. Oil-distillin g apparatus consisting of two stills, each providedwith an oil-admission pipe, a steam-injector pipe therefor, an openworkbody of refractory material in front of said pipes, and a vapor-exitpipe, the oil-admission pipe of the second still extending into theinterior of the first still; substantially as described. a

Oil-distilling apparatus consisting of two stills, each provided with anoil-admission pipe, a steam-injector pipe therefor, an openwork body ofrefractory material in front of said pipes, and a vapor-exit pipe, theoil-admission pipe of the second still extending into the interior ofthe first still; in combination with a steam-pipe extending into thevaporexit pipe of the second still; substantially as described.

. 4. Oil-distilling apparatus consistingof two stills, each providedwith an oil-admission pipe, a steam-injector pipe therefor, an openworkbody of refractory material in front of said pipes, and a vapor-exitpipe, the oil-admission pipe of the second still extending into theinterior of the first still; in combination with a steam-pipe extendinginto the vaporexit pipe of the second still; and a purifyingchamberadapted to receive 'a charge of liquid or solid chemicals andcommunicating with said second vapor-exit pipe; substantially asdescribed.

5. Oil-distilling apparatus consisting of two stills, each provided withan oil-admission pipe, a steam-injector pipe therefor, an openwork bodyof refractory material in front of said pipes, and a vapor-exit pipe,the oil-admission pipe of the second still extending into the interiorof the first still; in combination with a steam-pipe extending into thevaporexit pipe of the second still; and a purifyingchamber adapted toreceive a charge of liquid or solid chemicals; said purifying-chamberbeing provided with an auxiliary feedingreceptacle opening thereinto andhaving a steam-injector pipe and communicating with said secondvapor-exit pipe; substantially as described.

6. Oil-distillin g apparatus consisting of two stills, each providedwith an oil-admission pipe, a steam-injector pipe therefor, an openworkbody of refractory material in front of said pipes, and a vapor-exitpipe, the oil-admission pipe of the second still extending into theinterior of the first still; in combination with a steam-pipe extendinginto the vaporexit pipe of the second still; a separator, and a pipeleading to a condenser; substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

WALTER P. LOWE. CHARLES WV. BILFINGER. \Vitnesses:

THOS. MCDONALD, JOHN PFAUNSTIEL.

